Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu

Description:

Ma Po Tofu, a classic dish from the Sichuan province of China, inspired this recipe. The original is made with soft tofu and ground pork or beef with plenty of heat from dried chile peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Portobello mushrooms stand in for the meat in our vegetarian version and convenient jarred chile-garlic sauce gives it plenty of kick. Serve with brown rice.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

4 portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, chopped

1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce, (see Note)

1 1/4 cups mushroom broth, or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons dry sherry, (see Tip)

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Preparation:

1

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and chile-garlic sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.

2

Add broth, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, tofu and water chestnuts and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

3

Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the saucepan and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.

Tips:

Note: Chile-garlic sauce (also labeled chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and will keep for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.Tip: “Cooking sherry” can be high in sodium. Instead, look for dry sherry with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.